Le Mans Moto2: Scott Redding claims French GP victory!

Scott Redding ended a near five-year victory drought by claiming his first Moto2 win in Sunday's French Grand Prix at Le Mans.

The Englishman also retook the 2013 title lead with Pons Kalex riders Esteve Rabat and Pol Espargaro sliding off almost simultaneously after clipping a damp patch of track early in the race.

Pole sitter Takaaki Nakagami fell victim to the same slippery spot, putting home hero Johann Zarco into the lead. But Redding was already breathing down the Suter rider's neck and the Marc VDS star duly moved ahead at the midway stage.

Zarco and third place Xavier Simeon initially stuck with the Marc VDS rider, before being caught and passed by Redding's team-mate Mika Kallio. Redding was 1.5s clear of the Finn with six laps to go - when tension was ramped up a notch as rain began falling.

Lap times grew substantially as a result, with Simeon overtaking Kallio and closing to within a second of Redding. But with conditions worsening - and the race having been declared 'dry' - the red flags were raised on lap 24 of 26.

With final results taken from the end of lap 22, the final result was a victory for Redding over Kallio and Simeon.

Redding, whose previous grand prix victory came in his home 125cc British Grand Prix in 2008, now leads the standings by 24 points over Rabat.

The last British rider to win an intermediate class grand prix was Jeremy McWilliams at Assen in 2001.